September 18, 2011. Proper 20. Sufficient

Year A Proper 20
September 18, 2011
Rev. Catherine L. Wright
St. Andrew’s, Elyria

Sarah is wearing a little outfit today with daisies on it. That is what you notice first- the daisy on her shirt, the ones running up the tights, the ones along the edge of her skirt. But the surprise comes when she flips over- a frog right where she sits down. A frog among the daisies. It reminds me of a friend’s page on Caring Bridge- a website for those who are ill to post updates and keep everyone informed with one post. His site is based on frogs. The frog has come to stand for Fully Rely on God. FROG.

Our first lesson for today has the Israelites out in the desert and, as is often the case with God’s people, all people, grumbling. We are going to starve out here! So they are provided for. Just enough. Manna for the day. Manna- the Hebrew word for what is Ma. Manna is literally what is it. If they try to store it up, make piles to create wealth, to separate themselves from others, they succeed only in creating a mess. We are told in a part of the chapter we don’t read today that the stored manna would breed worms and become foul- not only not giving them more than others but giving them a mess to clean up.

In our Gospel for today, the workers are paid a day’s pay, enough to feed one’s family for the day. Sufficient, like the manna in the desert. Enough for the day.

There are no levels to heaven, no closer seats to God for those who earn them. You are either in or out, and in is all good. No preferred seats, owners boxes, or on the other side, seats with “obstructed views”. We were discussing this idea at home, and my daughter didn’t get it. She is having a hard time seeing the board in one of her classes, and couldn’t figure out how it wouldn’t be like that in heaven- some in better spots than others. But it is more like the blackboard is in front of everyone- each person has an unobstructed view. It is sufficient and complete for everyone.

Work is important. We are not designed to be idle all day. Paid or unpaid, we are created to engage in meaningful labor. Without paid work to go to, we need something meaningful to occupy our time. The healthiest retirees are the ones who find hobbies and organizations to volunteer at and not those who are parked in front of the tv all day. When you do nothing, you start to believe that you can’t do anything.

The opportunity to work in the vineyard is in itself a gift. We are privileged to be allowed into the vineyard, to participate in God’s loving work in the world. We can answer that call to work, or stand idle and waste one’s life altogether. God does not want anyone’s life to be wasted, so the invitation is offered over and over and to everyone. Come, join us, there is sufficient for everyone. Work to do, and you will receive what you need.

And the counter to this call to work- on the seventh day you will rest. Work is good, but it needs to be balanced. Six days to be creative, to work, to build. And a day to remember that in the end it is God alone who truly creates, builds. One day to rest, relax, remember that there is a God and we are not him.

How often do we do work hoping that it will earn us extra rewards? Are we serving God only to avoid punishment or obtain a payment? Then we are acting like a servant. And we are more than servants- we are like the children of the owner and work without coercion as a gift of love, wanting to please God because pleasing God makes us happy too- not because we hope for extra bread in the desert, or pay at the end of the day. The work has value in and of itself.

We often see ourselves as the first laborers in this story- we have worked for so long and are angry at what others have gotten when they are late to the office. But what about when we have received what we did not deserve? When have you been late to the party, arriving at the spot to find work at the end of the day.

I think about the people who love me, even though they don’t have to. What doors have been opened to you that might not have been? When has the manna for that day just seem to have appeared out of nowhere for you?

Are we envious of others gifts, talents, abilities, possessions, social status? Our own gifts can be diminished when we are focused on others.

This parable points out to us our refusal to rejoice in the blessings of others. We are invited through this parable to let go of our focus on fairness and comparing our lives to others. It invites us to be generous, as God is. To give thanks that we and others often, regularly receive that which we did not work for, do not deserve.